smith



' (No Model.) s sheetsfsheen 1j E. E. SMITH.

ASH SIFTBR FOR S'I'VES'.

Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

Wl TIVE ATTORNEY,

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. E. SMITH.

ASH SIPTBR POR. srovs.

No. 896,178. Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

[NVE/V703.

ATTORNEY,

(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheen 3.

E. E. SMITH.

ASH SIFTER FOR STOVES.

No.v 396,178. Patented Jan. 15, 1889.

Anon/VH,

N4 PEYERS, Pholu-numgmpher. whingwn. D, C.

- UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

ED\V'ARI) E. SMITH, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

ASH`S|FTER FOR STOVES.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,178, dated January 15, 1889.

Application filed May 17, 1888. Serial No. 274,120. (No model.)

To all 107mm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. SMITH, ot the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Ash-Sitter for Stoves, ot which the following is a tull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ash-sitters, and particularly to such apparatus as applied to stoves or heaters; and the invention has tor its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and easily-operative sitter ot this character.

The invention consists in certain novel teatures ot construction ot the sitter and ot the stove or heater in which it is, fitted, and also in certain combinations ot parts ot the apparatus tor carrying' out various principles ot action ot the sittin g devices, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ot this specification, in which similar letters ot reference indicate corresponding' parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation ot the lower port-ion ot a stove fitted with my improved ash-sitting devices. Fig. 2 is a plan view, in smaller scale, ot a modified form ot guard plate or ring to be placed over the ashsitter in a stove ot rectangular form. Fig. 3 is a plan view in horizontal section on the line 1 l in Fig. l, and with the sit tersections partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail inside tace view with the guard-plate and shaker-bar in section on the line 2 2 in Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is a dismembered perspective view ot the three sections ot the ash-sitter raised one from or above the other.

The stove-body A (partly shown in Fig'. 1 ot the drawings) is ot ordinary round cross-sectional torm; but its portion a, below its grate B and basetlange a', is made a little deeper t-han usual to accommodate the sitter devices and give room at the base ot the stove for the ashes and cinders which are discharged from the sitter into two separate compartments, C D, formed at opposite sides ot a transverse partition, E, which is cast upon or fixed to and across the bottom plate, e, ot the stove, and is about three inches (more or less) in height.

The vertical spindle F, which supports the three sections G H I ot the sitter device, is journaled at its upper end in the arm or bracket l), which supports the stove-grate B, and at its lower end the spindle is journaled to the top ot the partition E, and preferably by a pin on the partition entering a hole in the shaft. The sitter-sections G II I will be hereinafter more particularly described; but I here state that all three ot them are held together and on the spindle, so as to be oscillated horizontally as one structure by means ot a shaker-bar, J, which is fixed to the upper section, G, and projects through a horizontal slot, j, made in the lower body or wall, a, ot the stove.

It is desirable to close this slot j during the operation ot the sitter to prevent escape ot dust into the room, and to accomplish this I have hung upon the shaker-bar .I a dust-guard plate, K, which moves with the bar and always covers the slot j. The plate K normally rests at its lower edge upon a couple ot lugs or lips, 7;. 7c, on the inner tace ot the stove-wall c., and at its upper edge fits loosely behind a couple ot lugs, l Z', which are cast on or fixed -to the under side of an ash-guard plate, L, which is bolted between the base-plate a ot lthe upper or lire-pot section ot the stove and the flanged top ot the lower stove-section, a, and is provided with a central opening conforming to the lower opening ot the base-plato u', and has a depending flange, Z, all around said central opening. This flange Z ot the4 plate L guides all the ashes shaken through or dumped trom the stove-grate B sately into the top section, G, ot the sitter.

In operating the sitter it is desirable that its shaker-bar J be prevented trom striking the ends ot the stove-slotj, in which it works, to avoid noise, and to accomplish this, and at the same time assist in oscillating the sitter, I have provided a plate-spring', M, which is held to the stove-body by three lugs, m minis, as presently explained, and at its upper end is notched at m-,to fit loosely upon and around the lower edge of a flange, O, which is fixed to or forms a part ot the dust-guard plate K, and is provided at or near its opposite ends with two shoulders, o o, which strike the spring M before the shaker-bar reaches the ends of the slotj and flex the spring or put it in tension, and as the spring is stift enough to stop the shaker-bar before it reaches either end of Too the slot j, it is manifest that the rebound ot' the spring will materially assist in oscillating the sitter in the stove.

The spring-supporting lugs nl nr'e in are preferably cast upon the inner face of the stove-body section u, and the lowest lug, m, has a rabbet, into which the lower end of the spring rests. The center lug, m2, has a lip, fm", which overlies the outer edge of the sijn-ing, and this lug m2 forms a fulcrulmon which the spring bends as the shaker-bar J is moved toward the right hand, while the upper lug, mii, against the side of which the (mposite Vface of the spring' rests, forms a fulerum, on which the spriu receives a shorter bend as the bar J is moved toward the left hand by the oper ator. This arrangement of the spring in its supportingdugs has for its purpose to cause the spring to offer a greater resistance by practically shortening it as the shaker-bar is moved from right to left, and to offer less 're sista-nce by practically lengthening it as the bar is moved in the other direction, and thus eolnpensattjf for the increased power which is naturally applied by a right-handed operator in moving the shakerdar towal'd the left, than is exerted in the return movement of the bar and sifter.

It is manifest that I am not limited to the use of a spring which olfers resistance to the oscillatory movements of the shaker-bar of an ash-sifting device, and which offers a greater resistance on one stroke of the bar than on its otller stroke, in etnnbination with a d ust'- guard plate, I{,whieh in this case is a connection on the shaker-baron which the spring operates, as the spring may be used with any eonncetion to the bar, orso as to aet directly thereon in substantially the manner above descril. eil. liurthernnire, any ordinary oseillatory stove-grate lntving a shakeebar is an ash-sifting device within the scope of this part of my invention.

Fig. :l of the drawings illustrr'ites an aslr guard, ll', having the same purpose as the guard L above described, but adapted to lit at the bottom of the lire-init of a rectangular stove and proviifled with a l'aee whieh inelines funnel-like to the round eentral opening through which the ashes and einders will fall into the top seetion, ol the sitter. lt is obvious that the face or lloor l2 of the ashguard mayhaw'e any outer marginal shape necessary to tit; it to round, oval, square, or other shaped stoves orheaters and allow t hem to discliarge the ashes safelyY into the sit'ter.

I will now particularly describe the sitter proper, as follows: The sitter-sections G ll l are made preferably of east-iron; but they may be made of sheet metal, if desired. ',lhe

upper edges of the seetions Il l are preli'erably provided with lips or tianges P, forming rabliieted seats for the sections G ll', respectively, and the sections G I have marginal lugs r, through which stove-bolts R are passed to bind all three sections together after they shall have been placed on the eonnnon shaft F ofthe sitter. To make sure that the seetions shall not slip around horizontally on each other, l provide them attheir joints with lugs or lips S on one seetion, whieh engage sockets or reeesses s in the adjacent; seetion.

The shaft l? is provided with a series of prongs, T, preferably three in number, and which are adapted to enter sockets i', provided for them at the under side of the lower sifter sections, I Il, as said sections are slipped onto the shaft, and after the upper seetion is put on the shaft a retaining-pin, 1', is passed through the shaft above its hub. (Hee Figui of the drawings.)

The imperl'orate iioor or bottom g of the siftersection (i inelines downward from its upper radial edge, g, to its lower radial edge, g2, whence the mixed ashes and einders Yfall onto the higher edge, I, ot' the downwardlyinelined floor 71` of the sitter orseparator seetion ll, the lower radial edge, 712, of whieh discharges the einders into the einder-eompartment l) after they have been freed from the ashes and dust whieh have fallen through the numerous perforations 71 of the inclined bottom 7L ot.' the sifting-section Il.

The ash-ctmduit seetion l of the sifter has an imperforate inclined tioor, ff, which is npturned at i to meet the edge 71, of the sifting section II to receive ashes fallingthrough the upper part of the ,floor 7i olf section ll', and ex tends around under this perforated tioor to a discharge edge, F, which extends radially7 sut'- tieientl far around over and past the stovebod y pz t -tition E to assure passage of the ashes only into the ash-eompartment C of the stove. VWhen the sitter-sections (i ll l are held together in operative position, the radial edges g (j" 71 1" thereof range about or nearly in a vert ical plane. The cinder-diseharge edge le of the sectitm ll ranges baekV from this line or from the vertieal plane of the edge 1" of the section l Vfor about twenty-tive degrees of a circle to give space between said edge 7:2 and the upper or receiving end of the section l for the free discharge ol.' einders from over said edge hldurng the operation of the sift er, and the ash-discharge edge P of the section 'i is extended around, preferalily, to the position indicated by the dotted line .in liig. Il of the drawings, thus mz'tlting the inclined floor i of the section l extend for but little more than one-'half way around the apparatus, while assuring 'ree discharge oll the ashes over the edge i2 into the compartment (i and without contact with the step or shoulder 7i" of the sifting-section floor, which shoulder faees the open mouth or dist'zharge end oi' the section l.

\\'hen the sections (nl ll l', having inclined floors eonnnunicating as above described, are

`put together, the top of the section G and the lOO cal or twisted form to allow it to iit onto the section H above it. The floors g h 'L' of the three sections G H l, in addition to their general downward incline, have a downward pitch radially of the sections from their hubs or centers to their rims, thus eausin g the ashes and cinders to approach the outside or rims of the sections, where they are agitated more thoroughly than would be possible were the floors level radially or inclined downward radially toward the hubs of the Sections.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the iioor 7L of the sifting-section H is provided with a series of vertical shoulders or steps, h4, preferably three, and extending radially from the hub of the section, where the shoulders are highest, to the rim or side wall of the section, where the shoulders merge into or are about level with the general surface of the `(loor 7L, this wedge shape of the shoulders or steps being partly due to the radial downward incline of the floor. The object of this stepped construction of ifloor 7L is to give an abrupt fall to the ashes and cinders passing down the floor, so as to turn them over and over and more thoroughly agitate them to clear the cinders from the ashes than a gradually-inclined iioor alone would effect. It will be noticed that the iloor-perforations 7a3 commence at points forward of the upper edge, 7L', and the upper shoulder, 71,, thus leaving plain surfaces 7i, about an inch in width, next the edge 7L', and shoulders 714, onto which the cinders may fall and then slide freely downward, as they would notI do if these parts 7z" had perforations into which the cinders would be liable to stick as they fell 'from the upper section, G, and over the upper steps or shoulders, 721. These plain parts 7F' thus avoid clogging of the sifting-section.

It will appear that a part, H, of the tloor 71, of the section H, next the discharge edge 72,2 of this iioor and extending back of the edge for about twenty-five degrees of a circle,.or to the last step or shoulder, 7l", of the floor, is preferably not provided with perforations, which are unnecessary, as the ashes willhave already fallen through the perforations in the higher parts of the door; but this imperforated portion Hof the door prevents escape ot' ashes into the cinder-compartaient D during the oscillation of the sifter, at which time said portion H will always overlie the parl ition E at the base of the stove, as the arc of movement of the sifter will extend only fora distance eqnaling the length of this part H', or between the edge 7b2 and last step or shoulderb'l ot' the floor of the middle section, H. A pendent lip, 71, may be provided at the edge 7L?, if preferred, and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The hub portion of the sifter-sections G H l curve upward from the -floors of said sections, and the tops of the two lower sections, H l, preferably describe a spiral line around the shaft F, which allows these sections H I to be easily cast to nicely tit around. the shaft without requiring a boring or roaming of their bearing on the shaft, and thus facilitates their cheap manufact-ure.

From the aforesaid description it will appear that the inclined :tloor g of the upper ashreceiving section, G, extends clear around it, thereby causing all the ashes falling from the tire-pot of the stove into it to be discharged upon the upper end of the inclined perforated floor 7L of the sifting-section H, down which the cinders travel for the full length of said floor as the sifter is oscillated by its shaker-bar J; and meanwhile t-he ashes fall from the cinders through the perforations h3 of the floor of section H-some of the ashes directly into the ash-compartment C, but most of them fall into the ash-con duit section I-and are discharged from its edge 2 into the compartment C, while all the cinders passing' down the perforated floor of the section H are discharged from its imperforated part H and over its edge 712 into the cinder-compartment D ot' the stove.

lt is manifest that a sifter constructed and operating as above described assures a thorough sifting of all the ashes falling from the stove by mechanism which is very compact and occupies a comparatively small space at the base of the stove. y

Doors of any preferred kind may be fitted in the stove-body section a to give access to the ash and cinder compartments C D of -the stove, or to these compartments and the entire sifting apparatus arranged above them, and separate ash and cinder receiving pans may loo be placed at the base of the stove below the sifter, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention,what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a stove or heater, of an ash-sifter fitted therein below the firepot for horizontal oscillation consisting of an upper ash-receiving section having an imperforate sloping floor and a lower sifting-section having a sloping perforated tloor, and said sections relatively arranged to cause the upper section to discharge the mixed ashes and cin` ders onto the higher] ortion of the perforated floor of the lower section, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a stove or heater, of an ash-sifter fitted below the fire-pot for IIO horizontal oscillation, consisting of a siftingsection having a sloping perforated floor re ceiving the mixed ashes and cinders from the of an ash-sifter fitted below the vfire-pot for horizontal oscillation, consisting of an upper ash and cinder receiving section having an imperforate sloping floor, an intermediate next lower sitting-section having a sloping perforated i'loor, receiving at its upper part the mixed ashes and einders from the upper section, and a lower section having' an imperforate floor receiving' the ashes from the sitting'sseetion and discharging' them at a place separate from the cinders discharged from the sittinwseetion, substantially as herein set forth.

i. Au oscillatory ash-sitter consisting;l oi a Y supporting-shaft and three sitter-sections thereon, or an upper ash and cinder receiving section havingtl au impertorate sloping,l floor, an intm'mediate next lower sitting-section having a sloping,r perforated Iioor reeei ving' at its upper part the mixed ashes and (finders trom the upper section, and a lower section having an imperforate i'loor receiving` the ashes `t'roln the sitting-section and discharging them at a place separate from the cinders diseharg'ef'l trom the sifting-section, and bolt lt, holdinjt,r the sii'ter-sections together vertically, substtuitially as herein set t'orth.

An oscillatory ashsilier consistingl ot a supporting'-shaft and three sifter-seetions thereon, or an upper ash and cinder receiving' section having' an impert'orate sloping tioor,

an intermediate next lower sifting-section having' a sloping' perforated Ytloorr ;-\,ceiving,l at its upper part the mixed ashes and cinders from the upper section, and a lower section having' anV impert'orate floor receivingl the ashes t'rom the sifting'section and discharging them at a place separate from the einders discharged t'rom the siftinfr-seetion, bolts R, holding' the sections together vertically, and interlocking lugs and so kets at the sectionjoints preventing independt-art axial move ment of the sections during their oscillation, substantially as herein set forth.

G. In a horizontally-oscillating' ash-sitter having` upper, middle, and lower sections, substantially as described, the section H, having a perforated sloping,` tioor, 71, provided with one or more steps or shoulders, h4, substantially as herein set t'orth.

7. ln a horimutally-operating' ash-sitter having' upper, middle, and lower sections, substantially as specified, the sitter-section H, havingl a slopingtloor perforatedat 7F and provided with shoulders 71", and having' plain portions 71' next its upper edge, 71', and the shfuilders 71, substan1iallyasherein set li'orth.

s. Vlhe vombination,in an ash-sitting' apparat us l'or stoves, of a partition, E, ai the Abase olf the stove, formingI compartments C D therein, a veri ieal spindle, F, having' supports or shoulders, as T, sittor-sections I H (l, sul ported on said shoulders and on each other,

I and said section, G formed with an impert'orate licor, g, and said section lzl formed with a floor, 71, mainly perforated and having` an. imperforate portion, l'I, next its edge discharging' the einders into the compartment l), and said section I having an impertorate Hoor, i', receiving' ashes from the section ll and discharging' them into the compartment C, and all three sections held together for simultaneous V horizontal oscillation, substantially as herein set forth.

il. The combination, with a easing' or frame having` a slot and an oscillatory sitting device supported in said (,'asing' and provided with a shake r-bar enterin the easing-slot, of a sp ring held to the easing, and against which the shaker-bar or a connection therewith may strike, substantially described, whereby the resistance ot' the spring1 will prevent noisy contact ot the shaker-bar at the ends ot the slot in which it works, substantially ashereiu set forth. t l0. lhecombination,withacasing'or trame having a slot, and an oscillatory sifting def vice supported in. said easingl and provided l with a shaker-bar enteringl the casing-slot, ot' a spring held to the casing' and stopdrigs on the casing for the clamped end or part of the spring', substal'itiall f as described, whereby the spring will be held in a mann er to have greater 'resistance against the movement of the bar in one direction than in t-he other direction, as and for the purposes set forth.

ll. The combination,with the shaker-bar of an ash-sitting device passed through a slot in the sifter-support, of a dust-guard plate, K, on the bar at the slot and provided with shoulders o o, and a spring` held to the siftersupport and in the path of said shoulders to be struck thereby, to prevent contact of the shaker-bar with the ends ot' the slot through which it works, substantially as herein set forth.

12. The combination, with the shaker-bar of an ash-siftingdevice passed through a slot in the sitter-support, oi' a dust-guard plate, K, on the bar at said slot and provided with shoulders o o, and a spring, M, held in lugs m mr2 y111,3 on the sitter-support and in the path ot' said shoulders, substantially as shown and described, whereby the resisting-power ot the spring will be increased and diminished at opposite strokes ot' the shaker-bar, substantially as herein set t'orth.

VY itn esses:

HENRY L. ifooowlN, EDGAR TATE.

IOO 

